Cervelo P5 Force AXS

Cervelo has been building aero bikes since the late 1990s, and the P-Series is the lineage most associated with its triathlon and time trial work. The current P5 continues that line with a redesigned frame that Cervelo says is roughly a watt faster than the model it replaces. That is a modest number on paper, but marginal gains are the whole business at this level, and the frame is only part of the system. It also clears tires up to 700x34, which opens the door to wider, lower-pressure rubber on rough roads.

A front end built for fit

For most triathletes, the cockpit decides whether a bike is fast or just fast on paper. A position you cannot hold for 180 kilometers costs more than any aero saving. Cervelo's one-piece front end on the P5 is designed to simplify assembly and adjustment, with stack adjustable by up to 40mm and extensions that pivot through a range of angles in small increments. The HB15 carbon basebar sits lower than on the previous generation to reduce frontal area, and the EX16 extensions and wider, thicker armrest pads are meant to make the aero position easier to settle into and stay in.

Geometry runs from a 48cm to a 61cm frame, with 700c wheels across the range and crank lengths scaled by size, from 160mm on the smallest to 172.5mm on the largest. That matters in a triathlon fit, where shorter cranks are common and let riders open the hip angle in a low position.

Drivetrain, brakes, and wheels

The P5 Force AXS carries a SRAM Force AXS E1…